MOST POWERFUL IMAGES OF 2025

2025 was no stranger to human experiences of turmoil, despair, salvation and hope. And through these months, just like every year, photographers have told stories through their photographs that left a lasting impression. This list is a curation of pictures from different genres, showcasing different themes, and in no particular order like always, is also celebrating the work of photographers in capturing key moments of time. Here's to hoping 2026 is filled with more fruition for all even in the face of growing threats.

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AI 171

On the 12th of June, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane codename Al 171 carrying 242 souls on board crashed immediately after takeoff in Ahmedabad on a medical college building, leaving only one survivor. An additional 19 people died on the ground—mostly students of the college—and 67 more were left seriously injured.

The news devastated the nation, and this photograph shows India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the crash site taking stock of the situation, underscoring the gravity of the disaster. The image captures both the scale of destruction and the intense official scrutiny as investigators work to understand what went wrong.

Pahalgam Attack

A photograph from the Pahalgam attack captures the gut-wrenching moment as a newlywed woman sits on the ground beside her deceased husband, an expression marked by shock, emptiness, disbelief and grief. The image reflects the human cost of the violence, away from headlines and official statements. Adding to the horror—the scene is set against a stark, open and beautiful landscape, underscoring the vulnerability of those caught in it. Sourced through Press Trust of India, we were unable to identify the photographer, but the image seems to be shot on a phone. India responded in kind by targeting and neutralising terrorist depots with Operation Sindoor, an ode to the Vermillion erased and spilled, and the post operation briefing righteously led by women officers.

Gen Z-led Revolutions in Nepal and Bangladesh, Governments Overthrown